Bridges
by LuliaRayaGrace
Summary: Emerson's life is changing as she crosses the bridge from her old life to her new one on the other side.
1. Wagon Ride Chapter 1

p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Emerson's POV/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I laid on the couch in the lounge, braiding a small section of my hair. "Emery!" Romeo yelled running up the stairs into the lounge. I rolled over to face him. "Jack needs you at Medda's" I threw my hands back over my head in protest. "Don't give me that sass, little lady." I rolled off the couch and laid on the floor devastated. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I laid there until Romeo dropped my pair of boots on my stomach, I rolled over pretending to die. "Emery, just but the shoes on. It's not like you have never gone outside before," Romeo laughed, sitting on the couch and I slipped my boots on my feet and tied them. I stuck my tongue out at him as he stood and walked towards the staircase./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Come on slow poke," He joked. I got off the floor and followed him down the staircase. We walked out the door onto the Manhattan street. We walked a couple blocks until we reached Medda's theater. Romeo led me inside./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Emerson!" Race yelled from a table as soon as I walked in the room. I turned on the balls of my feet about to walked out when I ran right into Jack./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Not so fast little lady," He laughed wrapping his arms around my waist to keep me from leaving, "Where do you think you're going?" I motioned my arm in the direction of the door. "You are not going home." He led me to the table Race was at along with Davey, Crutchie, and Romeo. He sat me down in a chair and sat beside me./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Good afternoon there Emery," Crutchie said politely. I banged my head on the table and just let it rest there, "That's not good for your brain ya know."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I don't think she really cares at the moment?" Davey said. I slid my chair out and walked away from the table./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Don't get into any trouble!" Jack yelled as I walked behind the stage./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"If only there was any to get into. I climbed up the ladder attached to the back wall and shuffled out over the rafter until I got to a large panel the hung over the middle of the room. I laid down on it spread out my arms and legs. You could still hear all of the noise the boys were making down below my hide out./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I didn't make much noise, I practically don't make any noise now that I come to think of it. I don't talk, not because I can't but just because I don't see the point in it. Jack doesn't seem to mind that I don't talk, like come on the house couldn't be hardly any louder than it already is. Jack's like my big brother, well they all are, but Jack the most./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I peered over the edge of the panel to see that the boys were starting to leave, so I made my way back down to the ground. I found a laundry wagon and jumped in it to hide, from the boys./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Emery!" Jack yelled, "Emerson. This isn't funny." All of the sudden the wagon got at least ten times darker as a lid was placed on top./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Emerson Canal Lynn! You need to come out!" Davey yelled. This was bad, very bad. Davey never yelled, and if he ever did it wasn't at me. But the worst part was I couldn't yell back to them. "Emery!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The wagon started to roll and it didn't stop. All of the sudden there was a drastic change in temperature as it got about ten times warmer. "Take this to Brooklyn," a man said. All of the sudden the wagon was lifted off the ground, and I'm guessing was placed onto a horse-drawn carriage. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I'd never been to Brooklyn. Jack has told me about it but I'd never been there./span /p 


	2. Lost Screwdriver Chapter 2

Emerson's POV

I must have fallen asleep while in the wagon because I woke up to a man looking down at me, "Who are you?" He asked offering me a hand and pulling me out of the wagon. Crap. "You look like a newsies, but I know you're not one from Brooklyn because I've never seen you around here. Do you want to tell me your name?" This is where I really wish I talked. I walked around the room that had a multiple torn up couches and sets of chairs and tables. It almost looked like the Manhattan newsie lodge. Oh, no!

I run across the room to the man, whom I have yet to learn his name, and motion to myself and then to the room. "Newsie? Room? Do you want to know if newsies live here?" He asks. I nod my head yes.

"This is the lodging house for the Brooklyn newsies and I'm Christopher Mattern but most of the boys call me Chrissy. I run the lodge, and you don't talk," He said, "The boys should be getting home any time now, so I suggest you go and hide behind the front counter because most of them won't look there." I smiled at Christopher, before running to the front of the house to find a desk with a tall stool behind it. I pushed the stool and pulled my knees to my chest as I hid under the desk.

It has been about ten minutes when the door on the other side of the desk opened and multiple pairs of footsteps came into the home. "Chrissy!" one of them yelled running into the back of the house followed by the rest of them. I sat under the desk as they all sat in the other room and talked. Eventually, they all disappeared up the stairs and when they did the whole house got at least ten times quieter.

"You can come out now," Chrissy said moving the stool out from in front of my hiding spot. I crawl out and stood up. "Follow me I have a spot you can sleep."

I followed him through a door of the main room. "This is my room and I've set up a spare bed for you over there," Chrissy said. I walked over to the makeshift bed in the corner. I pulled my suspenders off my shoulders and let them hang by my sides as I slipped under the blankets. "Goodnight, mysterious newsies girl who I have no idea what your name is," He said before turning off the lights.

•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•

"Wake up," Christopher whispered in my ear while shaking my shoulder, "the boys all left so you're free to roam around the home." He walked out of the room leaving the door open. I got out from under the blankets and pulled my suspenders over my shoulders.

Walking out of His room and into the main room of the house to say the house was a disaster zone would have been a major understatement. It looked like a tornado had gone through the room.

"The boys can be a little rowdy some mornings," he laughed while flipping the couch over so it was on its legs. "I need something to call you? Something simple. How bout Space because you fit in the space under the front desk."

I have him a thumbs up. "Space it is then. If you would like to help me tidy up, it would be greatly appreciated." I walked behind the couch and found not one but two wooden slingshots. I picked them up and walked over to Chris tapping him on the shoulder.

"Go put those on the front counter," He instructed. I placed it on the front counter and then sat on the stool. "Search through the top drawer and see if there's a screwdriver in there, the boys completely knocked off one of the legs on the table." I pulled open the drawer to find there was a little bit of everything under the sun in that drawer, after a thorough digging if found one in the very back corner. I pulled it out and ran to the back of the home giving it to him.

"Thanks Space," he said removing my cap from my head messing up my hair and then placing it back in its place. I stuck my tongue out at him. "Don't be that way," He laughed. I climbed up the staircase to find a room full of bunkbeds and piles of smelly laundry. I quickly went back down the stairs while pinching my nose.

Chrissy looked at me as I reached the bottom step, "Probably should have warned you it smelled up there." I walked over that thumped him on top the head. "Jez, Space calm down."

"Chrissy!" Someone yelled from the front of the house. He quickly slid out from under the table, and stood up beside me. "Chris, why is there a girl in here." I spun around on the balls of my feet to find the newsies was at the other end of the room.


	3. Space Bridge Chapter 3

p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Emerson's POV/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Spot this is Space," Christopher said, "I found her yesterday when the laundry wagon came. She was inside it."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""She looks like a newsie, that I will not deny," Spot said walking closer to us, "but she ain't from Brooklyn. She looks like one of Jackie's" Jack, oh god. Jack, was going to kill me if he found out I'm in Brooklyn. I quickly whacked Chis on the shoulder./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Space, what is up with hitting me," I whacked him again, "Why do you insist on hitting me." Ugh, this would be so much easier if he just got what I was saying./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Jack?" Spot said walking over to us. I excitedly jumped up and down. "Wait, you're from Manhattan." I threw my hands up in the air and spun around smiling to myself. Finally, someone that understood the point I was trying to get across. "Well, she's crazy enough to be from 'hattan." I stopped spinning and crossed my arms and glared at him. "And has the sass."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Just then a bunch of other Newsies came running into the home and all of them stopped at the sight of me. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Boys, I would like you to meet Space," Spot started, "She's one of Jackie's from 'hattan. Chrissy found her yesterday in the laundry wagon." I waved at the boys. Christopher placed his hands on my shoulders./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Spot, would you and Jojo mind taking Space back to Manhattan?" Chris asked/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Let's go Space," Spot said walking towards the door as another newsie followed him, who I guess is Jojo./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""If you ever need anything. I'm always here," Chris said before hugging me. After he released me from his embrace, I ran out the door to find Spot and Jojo waiting for me. I followed them all the way across the Brooklyn bridge and we went to the Manhattan newsie lodge./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"We walked into the lobby to find Kloppmann going though the attendance book, "Em, the boys are all at Medda's."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"We walked back out onto the street towards the theater. "Em? Em? That has to be short for something?" Jojo said behind me to Spot./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Emily? Emma?" Spot said trying to guess my name. I was dying with laughter inside my head. Once we got into the theater I waited for the two slow pokes to catch up before opening the doors/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"When I pushed the doors open the whole theater was full of all the Manhattan newsies sitting at the table with their attention on Jack, Davey, and Crutchie who were all up on stage. Jojo and Spot stood right behind me, I put my fingers in my mouth and pretended to whistle showing it to Spot. Spot got the message and actually whistled./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Everyone in the theater's heads flew to the back of the room where we were. "Emerson Canal Lynn!" Jack yelled jumping off the stage and running to the back of the theater./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Both Jojo and Spot turned to each other. "Emerson?" they said simultaneously as Jack pulled me into a hug./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Where have you been?" Davey asked. I pointed at Spot and Jojo./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Brooklyn?" Jack answered, "How did you end up in Brooklyn?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Christopher, the guy who runs our lodge found her last night in one of the laundry wagons," Spot answered./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Emery, you really need to stop disappearing. With you being mute and all it makes it an even bigger risk because you can't call for help," Davey told me./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Ya, tell me something I don't already know!" I yelled before quickly covering my mouth with my hands. Everyone in the room stared at me, I could feel tears starting to build up in my eyes. I quickly pushed open the door behind me and ran all the way back to the lodge. I ran up the stairs and into my room, locking the door behind me, I didn't even turn the light on./span /p 


	4. Being Mute Chapter 4

p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Emerson's POV/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Emery, please just open the door," Jack pleaded from the other side of my locked door, "We are all worried sick about you."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sure you were, everyone was worried, all of the newsies had stopped by my door. "Em, you can't lock the world out. Please just let me in. Open the door let me in and then you can lock the door, Emerson please," Jack was getting desperate now. You could always tell when he was desperate. So, I got off my bed and slowly opened the door./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Jack quickly stood up and turned around, followed by practically running into my room. As soon as he was in my room I locked the door. He sat at the foot of my bed while I sat at the head./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Why didn't you tell us you could talk," Jack asked. I stared at my hands. "Emery why?" I didn't look at him. "Emerson Canal Lynn! Why didn't you tell us you could talk?" Jack yelled./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Did you ever think I was happy not talking? My life was fine being mute. I didn't talk because I didn't see the point in it, I still don't!" I yelled getting frustrated with Jack, "Maybe you should give it a try." I got off my bed and climbed out onto the fire escape, shutting the window behind me. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"After climbing down the fire escape I walked down the road, I didn't go out much so after wandering a while, you could say I was utterly and completely lost./span /p 


	5. Brooklyn & Jojo Chapter 5

p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Emerson's POV/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I finally reached the bridge that I had crossed earlier that day with Spot and Jojo. I walked out to the middle of the bridge and leaned against the railing. Below the bridge was a series of ships floating up and down the river./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Emerson!" I heard someone call. I spun around to find the Buttons and Race running towards me up the bridge. I took off running towards Brooklyn on the other side of the bridge with Race and Buttons chasing me; as I neared the end of the bridge I spotted one of the Brooklyn newsies. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Space?" Jojo said look up the bridge at me as I ran towards him, "Whats wrong?" I ran behind him and pointed at Race and Buttons./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Emery, please come home," Race asked as I hid behind Jojo./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""What right do you have to take her from Brooklyn?" Jojo challenged./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""She's a Manhattan Newsie, she belongs in 'hattan," Buttons said./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""How do you know she wants to be there. She ran here, to Brooklyn," Jojo said./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""We're her family we know her best we've watched her grow. She belongs there. With me, with Buttons, with everyone, and most importantly Jack," Race said getting irritated with my behavior and Jojo persistence to not hand me over to them, but at the mention of Jack's name by body tensed. I know Jojo had felt me tense up because by now he had one of his hands on my arm./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Space is now under my protection and the protection of the Brooklyn Newsies lead by Spot Conlon. If you want the slight chance of bringing her home you will have to talk to Spot," Jojo said before pulling arms over his shoulders as my legs wrapped around his abdomen. Jojo headed towards the Brooklyn Lodge. Before we turned the corner I looked back to see that both Buttons and Race were running back up the bridge constantly checking over their shoulders to make sure they could still see me. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I lost sight of them as Jojo rounded the corner. I laid my head on his shoulder./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Don't worry Space you're in Brooklyn now and as long as I'm here nothing is happening to you," Jojo said softly as if trying not the scare me./span /p 


	6. Lost Bridges Chapter 6

Jack's POV

It's been over a couple hours since she's disappeared, and so far everyone has gone searching for her but me. I stayed here in case she came back, but she hasn't yet.

"Jack!" Race yelled running up the stairs. I stepped out of Emerson's room hearing my name.

"What?" I questioned him and Buttons as they about ran into me.

"We found her," Buttons said.

"Where?" I said quickly.

"She's across the river in Brooklyn," Race said while hanging his head in defeat.

"Brooklyn! With who?" I asked while sitting on one of the couches.

"Jojo, one of Spot's," Buttons said, "She was on top of the bridge when we saw her, we started towards her and she ran towards Brooklyn. When we got to the bottom of the bridge she was with Jojo. He was hiding her behind him, out of our views."

"She went with him to Brooklyn," Race continued where Buttons had stopped, "He said if we wanted to have her back we would need to talk to Spot and that she was now under Spot's protections."

"Protection?" I said surprised, "Spot's going to watch her, he knows nothing about Emery. And we all know she won't talk to him."


	7. Spot's Bird Chapter 7

Emerson's POV

"Space," Jojo said shaking my shoulder, "Wake up." I slowly sat up and ran my fingers through my hair attempting to get the knots out of it. He grabbed my hand laughing and lead me down the stairs.

"Space?" Spot questioned when he saw me. I waved at him as Jojo laughed. "What are you doing here, in Brooklyn? Jojo?"

"I brought her here because last night when I was heading home I was by the bridge and she came flying' down it, being chased by Race and Buttons if I remember right. They were trying to take her back to Manhattan but it was clearly seen that she didn't want to go to 'hattan," He explained, "therefore I brought her here."

"Oh, well Space you have my permission to stay here in Brooklyn as long as you like," Spot said, "Let's go to the docks." Docks? What is the dock! Everyone ran out the lodge, and Jojo walked down the street as I followed him.

I tapped him on the shoulder. "Ya, Space," Jojo said, "You can ask me a question if you want. This is your new beginning here if you want to go ahead I won't judge you, but if you don't I will have no idea what you is trying to say."

"What are the docks?" I asked not very confident in my voice.

"See that wasn't that hard was it," He laughed while tickling my sides causing me to laugh, "The docks are docks beside the Brooklyn Bridge. It's kinda like the 'hattan newsies Jacobi's Deli or Medda's theater, it where all of the Brooklyn newsies hang out."

"Oh," I answered.

"Is there anything else you want to ask me," Jojo asked as we stepped out onto the dock.

"Why did you say you would always protect me, no matter what?" I asked as we neared a pile of crates which Spot was sitting on top of.

"Space I like you, like like like you," Jojo says before placing a kiss on top of my forehead, "and even though we just meat, I don't know what I would do without you." After he said that he leaned in and kissed me full on the lips. I wrapped my arms around his next as he wrapped his around my waist.

"Oh, love birds," Spot sung from the top of the pile. I flipped him off with my fingers as my arms were still wrapped Jojo's neck. "Calm down Space, Jesus."


	8. Pile Crasher Chapter 8

Emerson's POV

I've been in Brooklyn now for a week and we've surprisingly heard nothing from Jack or anyone from Manhattan. "Emmy!" Jojo yelled running down the dock to the pile where I was seated at the bottom.

"What?" I asked looking up at him. He quickly grabbed my hand and hid me behind the pile, "Why are we hiding?"

"I saw Jack on the bridge with some of the Manhattan newsies. Em, they are coming for you and I don't want to lose you," Jojo said softly. I leaned over and pressed my lips to his softly.

"I'm not going anywhere," I giggled, "Now go save the day you slob. When we get home tonight you need a shower cause you smell."

"Only for you, Emmy," He laughed while climbing the pile. I watched as he stopped at the top and stood beside Spot.

Jojo's POV

"You ain't gonna let them take her are you?" I asked Spot as we watch Jack start down the dock. The group consisted of Jack, Davey, Race, Buttons, Albert, Crutchie, and Romeo.

"If she wants to stay here with us I have no problem with that. I tell you what I told her, I will protect her, she's a part of Brooklyn now, and I always take care of Brooklyn," Spot said.

"Spot where is Emerson!" Jack yelled from the bottom of the pile. Spot and I slowly made our way down the pile.

"Jackie-boy calm down," Spot laughed.

"You, you're the one that took her," Buttons said pointing at me.

"I have a name thank you very much," I grumbled, "It's Jojo."

"Where is she?" Davey asked.

"Yes, I brought her here and she is perfectly fine," I said.

"Let us see her, please?" Race asked. Spot and Race have always had this weird relationship that I never understand. One minute they're best friends the next they hate each other.

"Jojo," Spot said. I went back over the pile to where Emmy was.

"Some people would like to see you," I said taking her hand.


	9. Jo's Color Chapter 9

p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Emerson's POV/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"I held on to Jo's hand as we got to the top of the pile. On the other side was Jack, Davey, Race, Buttons, Albert, Crutchie, and Romeo. "Emery," Jack said slowly. I quickly ducked my head into the crux of Jojo's shoulder./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Spot won't let them take you," Jojo whispered softly into my ear./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Promise," I mumbled./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Promise," He said before lifting my head from his shoulder and kissing my forehead./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Get your hands off of her," Race yelled at Jo./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Would it anger you if I did this," Jojo said before leaning in and dipping me into one of his famous kisses. I giggled as our lips separated. "Emmy," He said trying not to laugh./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Jo," I replied. He pulled me up and into his chest so I was spun around facing the 'hatten newsies, whose faces were mixed with shock and anger./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Thank you for that lovely show, you two love birds," Spot said trying not to laugh./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Would do it again in a heartbeat," I giggled while drawing circles with my thumbs on the top of Jojo's hand./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You talk now!" Davey said surprised./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""A lot happens when you let her be herself," Jo replied, "Do you even know what her favorite color is?" /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""What does her favorite color have to do with Emery coming back to Manhattan?" Romeo asked./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Her favorite color is red, and it has a lot to do with her returning. Because she is not returning, she's staying here in Brooklyn. In this last week I have learned more about her than any of you ever will," Jojo proclaimed, "You never cherished having her there, she was just another newsie to keep out of trouble."/span/p 


End file.
